The Federal Government has taken the first step towards reviewing Labor's plans for marine reserves.

Management plans signed off by Labor have been scrapped, including exclusion zones that would have come into effect next July.

But the boundaries of all marine reserves and parks will stay in place while a scientific review is carried out.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt says Labor's plans were flawed and would have locked out fishers.

"Rather than what has been perceived by many to have been a political process to have locked out small local fishing families - those that want to take out the tinny from areas that have long been popular," he said.

"So the parks remain, but there's greater freedom in usage and a scientific process going forward."

Mr Hunt says a review panel will be announced early next year and they will use a science-based process.

"Exactly as we said before the election we have re-established and re-affirmed all of Australia's Commonwealth marine reserves," he said.

"What we have done is begun the process of re-establishing the management plans within them."